Means for uncoupling mine-cars.



G. P. PAYNE.

MEANS FOR UNOOUPLING MINE CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11, 1912.

1 ,087,976. Patented Feb. 24,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. P. PAYNE.

MEANS FOR UNGOUPLING MINE was.

' APPLICATION FILED APB. 11 1812. 1,087,976,

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GEORGE P. PAYNE, OF LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

MEANS FOR UNCOUPLING MINE-CARS.

mamas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24,1914.

Application filed April 11, 1912. Serial No. 689,975.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. PAYNE, citizen of the United States,residing at Liberty, in the county of Randolph and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forUncoupling Mine-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and eflicient meanswhereby mine cars or similar vehicles may be readily separated oruncoupled while in motion, so that one car or a number of cars may beseparated. from the following cars of the train and permitted tocontinue their travel asmay be demanded by circumstances attendant upontheir use.

A secondary objectof the invention is to provide a device for the statedpurpose which will be composed of few parts and may be easily set up inan operative position at a slight expense.

These stated objects and such other objects as will incidentally appearas the description of the invention proceeds are attained in a mechanismof the type illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the inventionconsists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fullydescribed and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved apparatusshowing the same in posit-ion adjacent a track and showing theuncoupling members separated to permit the travel of a train of carswithout dividing the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing theuncoupling members shifted into position to divide the train passingover the track. Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the operation ofthe device in uncoupling two mine cars. Fig. at is an elevation of thedevice looking at the operating lever and its connections. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective view of one of the uncoupling members and theoperating rod connected therewith.

The track is composed of cross-ties l and rails 2 secured thereon in theusual manner and at a proper point of the track 1 provide the transversesills or elongated ties 3, at the outer ends of which are secured thebrackets 4 and o constituting supports for the operating shaft 6. Thisshaft is equipped with a handle 7 at its upper end and is j ournaled inthe brackets fl: and 5, as shown most clearly in Fig. a, so as to rotatetherein. The operating shaft is, of course, disposed vertically and nearits lower end is provided with oppositely extending crank arms 8 towhich are pivot-ally attached the outer ends of links 9 which extendfrom the said shaft 6 toward the track, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and2.

One of these links is sufliciently long to ex- 7 tend under the trackrails and pass beyond side of the bars 11 at the ends thereof and theirintermediate portions raised above the said bars, as clearly shown inFigs. 3 and 5. These trips or cam plates 12 project beyond the opposededges of the bars 11, so that when the said bars 11 are made to approacheach other and the track, the free edges of the said trip plates willproject over the track rails, as shown in Fig. 2, and consequently beprojected into the line of travel of the wheels 13 of the mine cars 14.

It is thought the operation of the device will be readily understood.When it is desired to have a train of cars pass without being dividedthe trip plates are moved away from the track, as shown in Fig. 1, sothat no obstruction will be encountered by the cars in their travel. If,however, it is desired to divide the train, the handle 7 is swung upaway from the track so as to bring the crank arms 8 into a positionsubstantially parallel with the track, as shown in 2. The links 9 willthus be caused to move in opposite directions, and the crossheadsconsisting of the blocks 10 and bars 11 will be moved to the track, sothat the trip plates 12 will extend over the same, as shown in Fig. 2.The car to be uncoupled will now encounter and ride over the trip plates12 which will impart, a vertical oscillation or reciprocation to theends of the car successively. The front end of the car will, of course,be unaffected by this vertical movement, so that the cars will remaincoupled. but when the rear end of the car rides up the inclined planepresented by the trip plate, the coupling at that end of the car willrise out of engagement with the coupling on the following car, so thatas the car passes over the apex or highest point of the trip plate itWill move away from the succeeding car.

It will be observed that the device is entirely automatic in itsoperation after it has been set to the Working position, so that thereis no necessity of an attendant passing between the cars or manuallyoperating the couplings and consequently the liability of injury andloss of life or limb is overcome.

The device is simple in the construction and arrangement and number ofits parts, so that it is not liable to get out of order, will operatesmoothly and easily at all times, and may be installed at a slightexpense.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. Mechanism for thepurpose set forth comprising a pair of cross heads disposed at oppositesides of a track and having lateral extensions to project over andslidably rest upon the track support, trip plates having their centralportions elevated and both their ends secured to the extremities of saidlateral extensions of the cross heads, the inner longitudinal edges ofsaid trip plates projecting beyond the inner longitudinal edges of thecross heads whereby they may project over the rails of the track and theends of said plates merging Substantially into the horizontal planes ofthe treads of the rails, and means for moving said cross heads to andfrom the track.

2. In a device of the character described, a pair of transverse sills,trip plates mounted for sliding movement on the sills and adapted to bespaced from or projected over the rails of the track, said trip plateshaving their central portions elevated and being inclined slightly fromthe elevated portions to merge into substantially flat ends, and meansfor moving the trip plates into and out of operative position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence 01 two Witnesses.

GEORGE P. PAYNE. [Ls] W'itnesses:

A. KIME, R. D. Pa'r'rnnson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

